A civil marriage ceremony can be conducted by a registrar or deputy registrar for the district where it will take place.
You will first need to decide where and when to have your ceremony before giving notice of your marriage.
If you would like to have your ceremony in City Hall, or at one of our approved venues, contact us by filling out our marriage and civil partnership enquiry form or calling 028 9027 0455 for availability and advice.
You can have up to 70 guests at your civil ceremony in Belfast City Hall. You will need to book your ceremony vehicles into our courtyard. There are two spaces available for weekdays and four spaces available at weekends.
We also offer a marriage or civil partnership where the couple have only the two legally required witnesses present. This is available at limited times and terms and conditions apply. Ask the Registrar for further advice.
You must give at least 28 days’ notice to get married. If you don't give this in time, you may need to postpone your marriage.
Before your ceremony, you will need to book an appointment to present your original documents and wedding day information form. There will be an opportunity to talk with one of the registrars and ask any questions about your day.
Appointments are available from Monday to Friday, 11am to 12.20pm, at City Hall. Please select the ‘short appointments’ option at the top of the form and then 'civil ceremony final appointment' from the list when booking.
You will receive a confirmation email after completing your booking. If you don’t receive this, please check your junk mail folder.
If you are unable to come into City Hall, you can still present the documents on the day of your ceremony.
Our prices are effective from 1 July 2024.
| Registrar's office fees | Weekdays | Saturdays | Bank holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two notice fees (£22 each) | £44 | £44 | £44 |
| Ceremony | £36 | £36 | £36 |
| Room hire | £350 | £500 | £500 |
| Registrar’s attendance | Free | £126 | £180 |
| Total | £430 | £706 | £760 |
| Approve venue fees | Weekdays | Saturdays | Bank Holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two notice fees (£22 each) | £44 | £44 | £44 |
| Ceremony | £36 | £36 | £36 |
| Fee for the attendance of a registrar | £383 | £600 | £632 |
| Total | £463 | £680 | £712 |
A temporary licence for an approved venue will cost £400.
For more information about our marriage and venue fees, email [email protected] or call 028 9027 0455.
You can contact the Registration Office by calling 028 9027 0455 or emailing [email protected].
You can find details of the ceremony format, including information about your dress, music and flowers in our marriages and civil partnerships brochure.
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